Grin
by Undead Artist
Summary: Grin was socially stunted, obsessed with Wonder Woman, and doing fine on his own at the orphanage even if half of the other kids wanted him in a body bag. His life is turned upside down when he's suddenly yanked from his life and into a family of four siblings (one famous at that) and a set of parents calling him "Harry Potter". And here he was sure (hoping) they were dead.
1. Birds of a Feather

**Rating: M**

**Author's Daily Reminder: **the world is not a boring shade of heterosexuality – we're humans and quite diverse and I am, personally, partial to lesbians (but then, I am one).

**Grin**

"_Sometimes I regarded my survival as an inconvenience and my birthright as a thankless chore, made more evident by the relentless antagonism bearing down on me everywhere I went."_

**Chapter 1: Birds of a Feather**

Grin was tall for his age, though skinny, sort of stretched, as was common for growing kids. His hands and feet were large, his black hair stuck up obnoxiously and his lips were thin. His jeans were dark and ragtag and his shirt hung of his skinny shoulders. He wasn't wearing socks or shoes.

With him were two near identical twins, both with the same black hair and stocky bodies. The only thing that differed them was their gender.

Anna had wrestled him to the ground, her knees on her arms as she sat straddled on top of his chest. Grin wheezed beneath her, his throat and face bruised, his nose bleeding and lip split. He glared up at her through his only good eye, promising bloody murder if she pulled at his hair one more time.

She spit in his face. "Freak.," she yanked hard on the large fistful of hair curled in her hand.

"Scaredy-cat," he hissed back. "Frightened of a little bit of _magic,_" he mocked, smirking – allowing his eyes to flash yellow. Adam, hovering behind her sister, stomped down hard between his legs and Grin slammed his head back against the ground, swallowing a whine, teeth gnashing. "Real mature." He gasped.

"You're doing this to yourself." Anna says, leaning so close they're practically nose to nose. "If you'd just leave we wouldn't have to hurt you." She rationalized.

Grin swallowed back the dark sea brewing inside of him and instead flashed a brilliant grin. "But then I wouldn't get to see your beautiful smile." Anna's eyes narrowed and her fist clenched but Grin was faster. He slammed his head upwards with a crack as her nose broke beneath the force. _An eye for an eye, _he thought viciously as she drew back, cursing, and the moment the pressure on his arms lessened he yanked them free. He shoved her hard off his chest, scrambling to his feet. And as Adam went for his sister, Grin took off running into the forest.

His bare feet hit the ground, propelling him forward. He can hear Anna and Adam's heavy steps behind him but he knows he's faster and he's three parts up the tree before he can even hear them clamping into the clearing. By the time they're beneath him he's so high up that they don't stand a chance of reaching him. The branches beneath him prevents them from throwing anything at him and Grin is a better climber than both put together.

He's stuffs his nose with wads of paper procured from one of the pouches on his belt, humming to himself.

"Freak." Anna spits at him.

"Getting old with your insults," Grin shots back, feet swinging. "You should consider procuring new ones."

"We're just making sure you never forget what you are." Adam sneers nastily.

"Don't worry." Grin leans forward, elbows on his knees and chin on his palms. "I never let myself forget how much _better_ I am than ants like you who think with your fists instead of your brains." He promises.

"You're a monster." Adam hisses. "A small monster full of lies."

"Any eleven year old would be small to you, seeing as you're _at least_ some three years older than I." Grin drawled.

"You-"

"Anna." Adam caught hold of her sister as she lurched forward. "We'll get him later."

"The broken nose really suits you." Grin complimented.

Anna made a noise much like an animal and spat on the ground. "Don't think you're safe, freak. You'll get what's coming for you."

"Yeah, yeah." Grin waved his hand. "You keep telling me so but I have yet to receive anything befitting my _glorious_ status." He touched a hand to his heart, mock hurt.

"You will fall." Anna promised.

"All fall." Grin agreed. "But it won't be by your hand."

He stared after them, long after they'd disappeared among the trees, leaving him alone. Grin wasn't bothered. He knew loneliness and emptiness and embraced them like an old friend. For if he didn't, he was sure to go mad.

Drumming his fingers he looked to the sky, to the birds.

Slowly he allowed himself to fall back, off the branch. His body, pulled by gravity, rushed towards the ground.

But he was already changing.

And instead of a body splattering against the ground the small body of a green chested warbler swooped into the air. He twittered happily as he flew high among the branches and a sparrow tweeted back at him.

It didn't take long until the two of them were engaged in a game of chase among the branches. Vibrant leaves fluttered by and he squeaked his enjoyment to his temporary partner who twittered back. They snatched up berries, bickering between themselves when they found a particularly delicious blackberry. The sparrow pecked him hard in the chest and Grin relented with a tweet of apology, settling for sharing.

Full and sort of dozy Grin landed on a branch and stretched out, his small new friend fluttering to a halt midflight. It twittered in confusion and Grin allowed his vocal cord to change accordingly to tweet back. Curious the sparrow settled on an offered finger and Grin brought it close to his face. The sparrow fluffed its small chest and hopped closer, wings fluttering and eyes steadily upon him, until it finally rubbed its tiny head against his chin. Grin brought it down to his lap, cupping his hands together, and the sparrow settled in the hold, twittering its approval.

Turning his attention from the sparrow, warm and soft in his palms, Grin peered down at the gathering of teenagers beneath him. The majority was over fifteen, a few perhaps as young as thirteen but no one over twenty-five. Grin had seen them several times before and was quite familiar with their leader, Keegan. A bulky dark skinned girl with a frightening scowl and quick fist – Grin quite admired her wit and perceptiveness, though her quick temper often got the better of her.

They were, in many ways, similar.

Keegan was leaning against the wall with her legs stretched out before her and her girlfriend Megan, a short girl with snagged hair, curled up against her, fast asleep.

The others were spread out, chatting and bickering between themselves with Bruce, a cautious guy with trust issues a mile wide, keeping a close eye on them.

It was, predictably, Keegan who noticed him first. "Grin." She greeted, turning her head towards the darkness of the trees. "Stalking, again?"

"Admiring, you mean." He waved to Bruce who had turned to scowl at him with suspicious eyes. "I am ever in debt for being allowed to bask in your fabulous presence."

Keegan snorted. "Why are you here, Grin?"

He placed his small sparrow friend in his lap. "Any of you have a hoodie to lend? Left the house without one this morning. Didn't expect it to get so cold and dark so quickly." He rubbed his arms covered in goose bumps.

Keegan studied him for a good while before raising her hand and beckoning him with a come-hither gesture.

It took a bit maneuvering getting down with the snoozing sparrow but Grin managed without much of a hitch, landing gently. He stepped past familiar eyes, waving to some of them. Keegan patted the ground beside her and Grin hesitated but finally slid into place.

"Hey Count, mind putting that shirt of yours to better use?" Keegan called to a tall dark teen lounging in a t-shirt, hoodie knotted around his waist. Count glanced behind him to Grin.

"This is how many times now, kid?" Count scratched his chin and the growing stubble there. "Ever considered getting your own?" He teased, untying and chucking the fabric over.

Grin slid it gratefully over his head. "When I could end up smelling like you? No deal." He sniffed the shirt that smelled rakishly of man and cuddled into it. "If you want me to stop borrowing your shirts you should stop smelling so good. And being so warm." He added, eyeing Count's bare arms. "It's quite unfair, really."

He maneuvered his sparrow into the front pocket of the hood where it burrowed down contently.

"I see you've been opening your mouth to the wrong people again." Keegan commented, eyeing his blackened eye and split lip.

"I draw angry people like bees." Grin rubbed at his nose. "It's not so bad. Broke a nose, got away."

"How very fierce of you." Keegan said dryly.

"I bet it was those twins again." Megan murmured drowsily, opening a tired eye to peer at Grin. "Hi, Grin." She smiled at him.

Grin managed to produce an awkward smile back. It looked sort of like a grimace. "Hi there, Megan." He waved. "Keegan tire you out?" He smirked.

"For an eleven year old kid you're pretty filthy." Keegan snorted, burrowing her fingers in her girlfriend's short stubby hair and scratching gently. Megan went practically boneless at the touch and had she been a cat she'd be sure to be purring. "Now, why are you here?"

"Can't I just be here for a visit? I might just be missing my favorite gang." He gestured airily.

Keegan narrowed her eyes. "Grin." She warned.

He threw his hands up, knowing better than to push. Shuffling around so that he could look at her properly, Grin curled his legs beneath him. "I want to make a bargain."

Grin wasn't blind to the interest in Keegan's eyes even if she tried to hide it. Keegan liked bargains just as much as he did.

And Grin _loved_ bargains.

"Oh?" Keegan hummed. "What kind of bargain are we talking about here?" She hitched an eyebrow.

"Well… it might come as a surprise but I've grown tired of turning up black and blue… and yellow… and my nose really could do without another break this year or it might just end up crooked." He touched his nose to reassure himself it _wasn't_ crooked. "Main problem just now? The twins."

"Called it." Megan flopped her hand up lazily.

Keegan ruffled her hair. "So, we take care of these… twins… and in return…?" She raised an eyebrow invitingly.

Grin stroked the head of his sparrow friend in his shirt, twirling his finger carefully until a weight settled in his hands. He withdrew the weight carefully, holding it up to a gathering of suddenly intense eyes. "I was thinking this." Grin said carefully.

"Where did you get that?" Keegan breathed.

"I have my ways." Grin twirled the key. "We have a deal?"

Keegan narrowed her eyes. "Bruce." She said shortly.

Grin allowed the older boy to snatch the key from his hand. Bruce raising it to his eye to carefully scan over it, twisting and turning it in the light. Keegan kept a sharp eye on Grin while he did, her clever eyes promising punishment if he dared to trick her.

Grin might lie and he might cheat, but Keegan he knew better than to cross without good reason. Getting rid of the twins wasn't worth having Keegan's entire gang at his heels. Grin hadn't survived the way he had by being stupid.

"It's the real deal." Bruce said after a moment. Grin wondered if he should feel offended over the shock in Bruce's voice. He decided to let it go for now.

Keegan hummed, relaxing. "Do they know _you_ took it?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Oh, I am much too good for that. And I might have left something _almost_ identical in its stead." Grin smirked. "They probably won't notice until they try to use it. You just have to be quicker than that."

Grin wasn't about to tell them that he'd flown in and out as a bird, piece of cake. He'd made a temporary duplicate of the key that would break if anyone tried to use it since Grin wasn't very good with that sort of thing. Changing himself? Easy. Other things? … he was working on it. But in this instant it had served him perfectly.

The key belonged to Keegan's rival gang, led by a wonky dude called Dom who Grin had had several unpleasant interactions with. It was one of the reasons Keegan's gang allowed him to come and go as he did. They knew Dom hated him with an infinite passion and they kept an eye out for him. They had found him more than once half-dead after Dom had brutalized him.

All in all, it was a good deal for Grin. And Keegan. He got to mess with Dom _and_ he'd get rid of the twins. And Keegan's gang got to vandalize to their heart's content and wedge some metaphorical sticks in Dom's wheels. Maybe literal ones, too.

"Deal?" He held forth his hand. Hoping. Knowing. Perhaps a bit anxious all the same.

Keegan took it, eyes glittering. "Deal."

* * *

"You're late." The matron didn't even look up when Grin finally shuffled his way through the front door.

Most of the kids had already finished eating but a few of the older ones were still lingering by the table. Most of the them had vanished to the living room to watch television.

"So I am." Grin agreed, sinking down into an empty sea. "I am surprised you're even surprised."

"I am not surprised." The matron straightened. "But I do like to remind you." She was a small woman wrinkled from age with a head of ratty grey hair. She dug through her apron for a small envelope which she practically shoved into his hands. "Your naming day is tomorrow," it was a fancy way of saying they had no idea when he was born but they'd found and named him on the tenth of July. Though, no one actually called him 'John Green' other than the matron.

He'd been Grin for as long as he could remember.

"Go get yourself a book or something." She placed a plate of food before him before shuffling away. "You're on clean up duty." She called over her shoulder.

"Hey-" Grin made to protest but she was already gone. Grumbling he turned back to the table the remaining kids were hurriedly making themselves scarce, leaving him alone to eat and clean the dishes.

The food was cold but Grin hardly gave it a thought, shoveling mashed potatoes and sausage with one hand while flipping through an old Wonder Woman comic with the other. Hardly tasting the bland food.

He'd drawn out his dinner, fully engrossed in Diane's adventures and was only half-listening for the sound of the door opening.

The scream was hard to miss.

Grin turned in his chair, arm on the back of his chair, to peer at the door where Anna narrowly had managed to haul her brother through before collapsing, sitting.

Keegan had truly made good on her promise, Grin would recognize her personal work anywhere. The crown carefully carved beneath each left eye was a dead giveaway anyway. She liked marking things, Keegan. A crown for her enemies, an arrow for her friends - all of Keegan's gang bore the arrow tattooed onto their skin.

Noses broken, eyes swollen shut, jaws bruised black, throats discolored by violence. Their clothes had been torn and they were both dirty, their bodies a disarray of bruises and torn skin, claws marks and mud. Grin admired the handiwork. It hardly looked like either could breathe properly and they were both dripping snotty blood and tear marks tracked their cheeks.

Anna's eyes found his in the mess of the matron and kids chattering and trying to help both her and Adam along.

Grin smirked ferally as she averted her eyes.

* * *

Curling up in his bed that night Grin watched the moonlight through his window. "Well," he told it. "They should have known not to mess with a freak."

* * *

Grin spent the better part of his name day exploring London in search of something to spend his money on. He had very little interest in physical things and still had most of his money saved from earlier years. But by principle he'd at least look around. It wasn't like he had anything better to do.

He eventually settled for a small bunt of used Wonder Woman issues for a bargain.

"A present?" The twenty-something at the counter asked as he rang them up.

"Do you ask girls who buy Batman the same thing?" Grin shot back, bored

The other actually paused. "No. But. I don't." He rubbed his head. "Suppose you have a point, kid." A pause. "She is rather fierce." He added, almost apologetically.

Grin knotted the bag to his pants in the alley outside and slipped into the form of a small black cat, shaking out the kinks before trotting off to explore London properly.

It was surprisingly warm outside and it didn't take long for Grin to grow bored with London and instead find a park and, more importantly, a statue to relax upon. A naked man spewing water from his mouth was conveniently holding both hands into the air and Grin curled up in them, basking contently as he listened to the conversations below him.

And then there was an owl sitting beside him.

Grin opened an eye, staring at the owl which looked back, apparently unbothered to this close to a cat.

The owl was holding a letter.

Curling into a sitting position Grin tilted his head, peering closely at the envelope. _"Mr H. Potter?"_ He tested the name with his kitty mouth. _Sorry, don't' know him, _he thought dryly, eye closing again.

The owl wasn't content to let him sleep. A sharp beak found his tail and bit down, hard.

Grin yowled, instinctively turning away from the danger and, momentarily forgetting where he was, ended up falling off the statue to splash into the water below with a cry of shock. His head appeared above the surface, spitting curses and legs helplessly threading water, paws scratching against the wall of the fountain. He realized with horror that there wasn't a chance he'd be able to get out of his own unless he turned back. He let out an extra loud yowl, paws scratching against the stone, claws seeking any sort of hold.

And then, miraculously, hands appeared and Grin found himself airborne and cradled against a small chest. He blinked, shivering, and brown eyes peered down with a frown. "You really shouldn't be sleeping so high." The girl told him. "You could have hurt really hurt yourself. Or drowned." She scolded.

She seemed unconcerned with the fact that he was making the entire front of her shirt wet. Grin meowed at her, trying to look as miserable as possible.

She had to be his age. Her hair was brown and frizzy and her front teeth were a bit too large and she was still scolding him as she carried him along.

Decided that clawing her to death after she'd practically saved him wasn't the proper way to go he resigned himself to follow along for the moment. Besides, she was warm and the water had been cold despite his fur.

Apparently the girl lived pretty close and he found himself on a kitchen table a nice house being dried with the fluffiest towel he'd ever felt in his life and he couldn't help but purr as he rubbed into the touch. She laughed at him, scrubbing the top of his head until the fur stuck up. She peered closely at him and Grin stared back. "You have very pretty eyes," she told him. "Very green." She stroked his head.

"Hermione, dear?" A woman stepped into the kitchen and Grin instinctively stepped closer to the girl. He wasn't particularly fond of adults. The woman had short blond hair and the same eyes as her daughter. "A cat?" She asked in surprise.

"It fell into the fountain in the park." Hermione told her mother. "I couldn't just leave him without at least getting him dry. "And maybe give him something to eat?" Hermione asked hopefully.

Hermione and Grin looked at her with identical hopeful expressions. Hermione's mother laughed. "Alright. Give him some of the salmon for tonight."

"You're beautiful." Hermione said, stroking his back as he ate. Grin didn't particularly like people touching him but it was easier when he was in his animal forms. It was less intrusive, somehow. It also helped that he could clearly see her from the corner of his eye and that she kept the strokes rhythmical and gentle. "I wish I could keep you but I'm starting a new school this year… in Scotland." She confided. "Dad says an animal would be too much of a distraction." She scratched his ear which felt strangely good. "Besides, your fur is so fine that you must belong to someone."

Grin swallowed his salmon, peering up at her.

" I don't have a lot of friends." She confided. "Just because I like books and learning…" She frowned. "But I'm going to a new school this autumn. Mom says I'll do fine but…" Grin knew how she felt, though, he sort or preferred to be on his own. You couldn't trust people. There was always some sort of agenda, some secret, everyone just waiting to betray you.

Everybody lie.

Grin lied even better than most.

Dry and warm and fed a good portion of salmon Grin was eventually carried out of the house and placed gently on the ground. Hermione kneeled down before him. "Don't climb anymore statues." She warned him, scratching his neck.

Grin rubbed against her hand before plodding off, pretending not to notice how the girl stared after him. Lonely.

He sort of hoped she'd find a friend at her new school.

* * *

He flew home as a warbler and would have made it the entire way hadn't the owl nearly sent him spiraling into a tree.

He swore, though it came out as a series of angry tweets, wings fluttering furiously as he glared at the owl with the letter. This time he was on his own so he found the closest branch able to carry his weight and transformed back to a human, reaching out to snatch the owl out of the air mid-flap.

"You and your stalkerish tendencies does not sit well with me." He hissed. "Are you like me?" He demanded, because it was the only thing that made remotely sense and perhaps it made his heart pound harder at the possibility. "Answer me!" He snarled.

The owl stared at him, very much unimpressed. It stuck its leg out, looking as exasperated as an owl could possibly look.

Grin eyed it. "I am not this Mr H. Potter." He informed the owl. "I don't know any H. Potter either. So either you have the wrong person or- OW!" He dropped the owl with a curse, sticking his bleeding finger into his mouth as the owl smacked its beak and landed on a branch before him.

Once again the leg and letter was shoved into his face.

"Fine!" Grin untied the letter with a grumble, daring the owl to bite him again.

The letter was sort of yellowed and the script on the front was fancy.

_Mr H. Potter. _

_Second floor_

_Fourth bedroom on the right_

_St. Mary's Orphanage_

_LONDON_

He read it aloud, frowning. He lowered himself into a sitting position. "Alright, so that's my room. Way to be creepy." He side-eyed the owl but tore the letter open.

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY**

**Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore**

**(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, **

**Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)**

**Dear Mr. Potter,**

**We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. **

**Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl no later than 31 July. **

**Yours sincerely,**

**Minerva McGonagall**

**Deputy Headmistress **

A normal person might have burnt it. But Grin had always known he was different. And the more he thought about it the more sense it made.

He plopped down on the branch, the bag of Wonder Women comics swinging behind him.

He wasn't inclined to trust this letter (Grin didn't trust anyone or anything) but he decided the trust the possibility. If he _wasn't_ this H. Potter someone would come and say it was a mistake. That was it.

He dug for the smell nub of a pen he always carried with him and turned the letter around.

**Your owl has insistently followed me around today with a letter addressed to a Mr H. Potter. My given name at the orphanage is John Green but your owl seemed quite sure that I am this person. **

**Someone should probably be sent to clear up the situation.**

**Yours,**

He hesitated, scratched the last word out and shoved it at the owl. "Well?" He challenged. "Will you take my reply back?"

The owl give him another unimpressed look before it snapped the reply up and took off, wings beating against the air, carrying it high into the sky.

Grin remained in the tree, one leg folded on the branch, the other swinging. Staring after the owl until he could no longer see it.


	2. Black Arrow

**Author's Daily Reminder:** there are other words to describe skin than: pale, snowy pale, pale as bone, pale as – well, you catch my drift – I hope - and it's not that hard to add some diversity. Me? Well, I am quite partial to a wondrous shade of dark blue (Mystique makes me purr).

**Grin**

"_Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten."_

**Chapter 2: Black Arrow**

Three days passed without reply and Grin finally headed for Keegan, figuring it had all been a joke.

"That was some fine work." He complimented her as he dropped down from the tree. "I do love those crowns of yours."

Keegan held up Dom's motorcycle keys in return, smirking. Apparently the raid had been more than successful and with a bit of tinkering it was wholly and lawfully hers.

Megan was quite enamored with the entire thing, especially since Keegan now sported a fancy leather jacket.

"That was some good work on your part," Count complimented him.

"I try." Grin plopped down beside him.

"They haven't bothered you more, have they?" Count checked, cracking a can of beer open with a hiss and passed it over.

Grin, eleven years old and hardly legal, eyed it suspiciously but didn't refuse it. "No." He folded his legs beneath him. "Won't even look me in the eye. Keegan must have made damn sure to make the message stick."

"Count did to." Novak who was so dark he was nearly black piped in. "That girl kept insulting you even after Keegan broke her arm."

"Oh she wouldn't shut up." Count scratched his chin. "But we made sure to make her rethink." His eyes glittered and Grin swallowed his curiosity. "Just tell us if they start acting up again. Part of the bargain and all that."

Grin chugged his beer amidst cheers and whistles and for the night forgot all about loneliness.

Grin was half-asleep in a tree the day they arrived. Nursing his first ever hangover and doing his best to ignore the brightness of the world he'd secluded himself in the shadows of the trees, high-up. Someone had been kind enough to send him home with a pair of sunglasses. He was impressed anyone had even bothered to get him home.

He supposed someone felt guilty for making an eleven year old drunk out of his mind.

He'd awoken tucked into one of Count's hoodies near the orphanage and promptly vomited all over the grass. Head spinning he'd stumbled over to a tree right next to the orphanage and promptly scaled it and then fallen asleep.

Unsurprisingly, he was found rather quickly.

"JOHN GREEN, GET DOWN THIS INSTANT."

Loud. Noisy.

Unsuspected and entirely unwelcome.

Grin cracked an eye open, glaring through his sunglasses with blurry eyes at whatever was howling his other-name this early in the morning. He found the matron, hands on her hips, a furious expression on her face.

Ah, Grin had forgotten how much she hated him climbing trees. He usually did it far out of sight. Lurching into a wobbly sitting position he peered down, blinking as he realized she wasn't alone.

With her was another woman with black hair pulled back into a stern knot that matched her expression perfectly. Apparently the matron wasn't the only one who disapproved of him climbing trees. She was wearing a fine emerald shirt and neat pant.

"I'll be right down." He called, trying not to wince at the sound of his voice.

The matron's face went panicked in a second flat. "Wait! It's not safe! You could fall – stay there!" She gestured wildly and hurried back to the orphanage.

Grin stared after her before slowly turning to the remaining woman. "You'll do some magic if I fall, right?" He asked, already scaling downwards. "Some mumbo jumbo spell to slow me down?" He landed in a crouch, straightening. "Although, I don't really need it." He concluded.

They studied each other.

"My name is Minerva McGonagall. I understand you received an invitation to Hogwarts but under the wrong name?" She raised an elegant eyebrow.

Grin hummed in agreement. "The orphanage gave me the name John Green." He told her. "But the letter was addressed to someone named H. Potter." He dragged a hand through his hair. "Most call me Grin, though." He offered.

There was something strange in her eyes as she studied him and Grin shifted slightly. "You look just like your father." McGonagall said suddenly, effectively catching Grin off-guard. "Your hair is longer," she said fondly. "And you're missing the glasses… and your eyes. You have Lily's eyes, Mr Potter."

Grin stared.

"They wanted to come along today but I offered to come and explain the situation." McGonagall gestured him along and Grin hurried to catch up, still staring. "I thought it would be less overwhelming this way. Come, let's – let's find a proper place to talk." Minerva said softly.

Grin followed her along to a nearby park where children where already clamoring among the swings and the small fort with walls to climb, spaces to crawl through and a pipe to slide down. Grin tracked a small red haired girl as she easily scaled the wall and shouted encouragement to her friend to follow along.

Minerva found a bench and Grin sat down a bit away from her, tucking his legs beneath him.

"Your name is Harry James Potter." Minerva begun. "You and your brother Chris were born on the 31 of July to Lily and James Potter. Your mother is a witch and your father a wizard and they both went to Hogwarts together and married straight out of school. You have four elder siblings, Raven, Jace, Nora and Chris. But a mad wizard by the name _Lord Voldemort_," and there was something strange in the way she said the name, "wanted your youngest brother, your twin," here her eyes regarded him, "dead. You were young and your parents wanted you safe so they sent you to your aunt and uncle… who then must have left you here."

Grin dug his nails into his thigh.

"So this whole… magic thing. It's normal?" He asked cautiously.

Minerva drew an elegant stick from the arm of her shirt and picked a leaf from the ground. Making sure no one was watching she tapped it and Grin watched wide-eyed as the leaf turned into a small mouse which she dropped into his hands. Grin stared at it in awe, slowly lifting it to his face to peer closely at the small dark eyes.

"Do all… witches and wizards… use those sticks?" He asked as she tucked it away.

"It's called a wand, and yes. It allows us to use magic. When we're younger we have something called _accidental magic_ that reacts to burst of emotions. But as we get older our magic gets more controlled and we need our wands to focus it." She looked at him with knowing eyes. "Have you ever had anything strange happen to you when you're been afraid or happy?"

Grin almost wanted to tell her that he could make strange things happen just by _wanting it to_ and that it had little to do with his emotional response_._ Changing his own form had always been as easy as breathing and he could make things disappear. But then sometimes…

Sometimes when he'd been really, really frightened or angry he'd made _bad_ things happen.

"So that letter… it really was addressed to me." He wondered. "So… I'll be allowed to come to Hogwarts on the first of September?" He checked. "To learn magic?" He looked up at her, feeling something akin to hope bubbling inside of him.

For a brief moment Minerva looked surprise but it vanished quickly behind her strict mask. "Yes. Your name has been written down since the moment of your birth."

Grin stared down at the mouse that had curled up in his hands and were snoozing. A mouse that moment ago had been a leaf, tugged by the wind.

His mouth curled. "There was a list of things I need to get." He stroked the small mouse carefully, avoiding the witch's eyes. "But I don't think I have enough money to pay for it. Do you have funds for that sort of thing?" He asked anxiously. "I mean, I have some saved up from my birthdays so I might be able to pay for some of it. And when I get older I can get a job but-"

"Mr Potter."

"-right now I just can't afford it-"

"Mr Potter!" She said sharply and Grin nearly bit his tongue off in surprise and wanted to say _that's not my name _but apparently it was and he wasn't in the mood to argue semantics.

"Your parents will of course cover all your expenses." She said with a strange look in her eyes.

"So… what, they send the money over?" He wondered.

Grin was pretty sure he didn't like the look that came over her in that moment.

"Harry." And didn't that sound strange. "Your parents are coming to take you _home_."

* * *

That night birds and critters clamored around him in his bed as he buried his face in his pillow to smother the ridiculous sobs wracking his entire body. His small sparrow friend tweeted anxiously in his ear as it buried closer and a sleek orange fox he had often run alongside through the years tucked itself against his side.

His parents were alive and hadn't wanted him. They had left him with relatives that didn't want him either and who left him at an orphanage where he was, at best, tolerated. And no one had cared enough to come and check up on him for _ten years._ Ten years of being called freak and monster, of being spat on and hated and ignored. Ten years of _nothing_.

And now, suddenly, they wanted to come and take him _home._

* * *

"I'm going to an exchange school in Scotland in September." Grin had tracked down Keegan's gang and without much of a greeting had plopped himself down beside Count. "Apparently my parents are alive, my name is Harry Potter and I am _not_ yet eleven. Apparently I've been celebrating my birthday wrong for ten years. Imagine that."

It was early and half the gang wasn't even there but Grin didn't really notice. "They'll be here tomorrow, apparently. And, oh, I have siblings too. Two brothers and two sisters – would you imagine? And one of them is my _twin_ brother. You know, same age and all that." He waved his hand. "And, apparently, I don't have a choice."

He didn't realize his hands were trembling until Count put his hands on top of his, squeezing.

"Keegan." Count called to his leader with a meaningful look.

"He's _ten._" Keegan said sharply.

"Please." Megan said quietly, her eyes fixed on the small statue of Grin who had practically curled upon himself, hardly seeming to notice that he was on the brink of a breakdown. "They'll take him away." Megan touched her girlfriend's face, pressing her lips to the corner of hers. "Let him _know_." She said quietly.

Keegan drummed her finger against her knee. "Bruce?" She turned to her second.

Bruce frowned. "He's annoying." The boy grumbled. "He's a liar and he's strange and people hate him. But he's alone, Keegan" He folded his arms, mouth quirking. "He's like us. You know it, I know it, we all know it."

"His parents abandoned him and now they're coming to take him away." Megan tucked her head beneath her girlfriend's chin. "We might never see him again."

Keegan remembers the first time they happened upon Grin. He must have been four or five at the time and he'd been hanging in the tree above them, eavesdropping until Bruce, ever cautious, had caught sight of him. Hissing and fighting and swearing up a storm they had dragged him down and Keegan couldn't ever remember seeing a child with so much _hatred_. It burned in those brilliant green eyes of his.

Hatred at himself, the world, everything and nothing.

People called him Grin although anything remotely like a grin seemed like the least likely to appear on his lips. It was a cruel nickname in a way. They had of course heard of him, some of the members of Black Arrow lived at the orphanage and Grin was a source of great amusement. Always getting himself into trouble, starting fights with every breathing thing. It made for fun stories.

But looking at the boy who hardly seemed to stand himself or the world, bruised and spiteful – Keegan saw much of herself in him – what she would have been if she hadn't had Megan doggedly following her around.

It was hard to miss the overwhelming loneliness hidden beneath the hatred.

But he'd been too young. They weren't necessarily good people and they did things that weren't exactly… _legal_. They weren't a kid friendly environment but they took care of their own and kept an eye on him after that. And when Dom, who for unknown reason nursed a hatred for the kid, beat the kid up – they hit back.

They checked up on him, discreetly, and allowed him to bargain with them since Grin loathed anything that could be perceived as _pity._

He'd been theirs, whether he was aware of it or not, and they'd been planning to initiate him once he turned thirteen.

Keegan who had often seen herself reflected in the eyes of the stubborn kid who came and went as he wished and was more trouble than he was worth, sighed, stood up and without much bravado lifted the kid to his feet.

Grin sort of wobbled, wide-eyed, and Keegan smothered a smirk.

The kid was sort of adorable. Paranoid, emotionally stunted and foul-mouthed – but, adorable nonetheless.

"Come along then." She said. "Bruce, keep an eye on them." She waved over her shoulder.

Keegan caught Grin's hand in hers and pulled him along.

"I was going to wait until you got older." Keegan told him, stopping in front of an old tattoo shop. She took hold of her shoulders, ignoring the way he tensed beneath her touch and looked him hard in the eye. "You can back away now, go back to the orphanage and wait for your parents. Or you can become _mine._"

It took a moment for the words to click and Grin's eyes widened. "But, I – I might never come back." He stammered.

"Doesn't matter." Keegan said simply. "We'll all go off on our own someday, nothing lasts forever. But right here, right now, you are mine. _Ours._ We laid claim on you long before your _parents._" Her mouth curled in distaste. "You're a strange kid," she said, "but you're _our_ strange kid."

* * *

That night Grin stretched out on his bed.

"_Blood doesn't make a family,"_ Keegan had said as they bid him farewell, _"you've been ours far longer than you were theirs. Don't forget that."_

Grin touched his fingers gently to the black arrow on his chest, the mark of Keegan's gang.

He'd never thought – _hadn't dared to hope _– that he'd actually be a part of them one day. He'd admired them from afar, coming and going when he felt like being with someone who didn't glare at him or looked past him, as if he didn't exist.

They'd always been _there_ and that was more than he could say for anyone else. A ruffle of his hair, a borrowed sweater, shared snacks and bargains.

Grin realized, with start, that he was actually going to miss them.

* * *

The next day Grin was lounging by the entrance to the orphanage, a bag filled with clothes and Wonder Women comics beside him. The comics were old and ragtag and there's only been two pair of pants and three t-shirts that still fit him.

He was waiting for Lily and James to come and pick him up. He wasn't entirely sure what to expect. McGonagall had probably explained it all in perfect detail but Grin honestly hadn't been listening much past the information about himself – the rest of the time had been spent trying to sort through the situation.

So far he was sure of this:

His parents had left him and kept his other _four_ siblings.

They hadn't even bothered to leave a name or birthday for him.

They hadn't bothered to check up on him for ten years.

Most importantly, he had never been John Green and he wouldn't be this… _Harry Potter_ either.

Grin had, and always would be, just Grin. Parents appearing from nowhere wasn't about to change that. Grin had done without parents so far – he could deal the rest of his life as well.

This, he was absolutely sure of.

He just needed them to pay of his school. Once school was over and he was an adult he would be out of there faster than a fox in the woods.

"Harry?" It didn't click right away but at the crunch of feet approaching cautiously he looked up instinctively.

He saw Lily Potter first. Her hair was dark red and she had the same green eyes as him set above a smatter of freckles. She was nearly as tall as James just a few steps behind her. Grin didn't think he looked anything like James except the hair – they had the same messy sort of hair only Grin's was longer. James eyes were brown and he looked like the sort of person who smiled a lot. They both did.

It was strange seeing people openly smiling at him, as if they were genuinely happy to see him. It put him instantly on edge.

The only one who ever smiled at him like that was Dom and that had never ended well for him.

"Lily, James." He voiced, unsure what the proper response was supposed to be with both staring at him as if he couldn't believe he was really there.

Grin smothered the urge to say something foulmouthed and instead rose to his feet and took a step forward and stuck his hand out like he'd seen people do on the street. "Harry Potter." He said. "Though, I prefer Grin if you don't mind. You must be well… my _parents_, I guess." The word still sounded weird and it felt even weirder actually saying it.

They were still staring at him and Grin was about to draw his hand back when Lily stepped forward, catching hold of it. Her hand was smooth and her hold firm and instead of shaking it, as Grin had sort of presumed you were supposed to do, she held it tightly.

"It's- I can't even begin to describe how wonderful it is to finally meet you. Again." Lily's thumb stroked over the top of his hand and Grin jerked it back in surprise.

She looked disappointed but covered it with a smile. "It must be overwhelming – all of this." James stepped up beside his wife. Grin did not offer his hand this time, simply regarded them both.

Was there some sort of procedure for this sort of thing? He wondered. A book? Anything?

He wondered, briefly, what Wonder Woman would have done and straightened accordingly. "So, should we get going?" He waved his hand, hoisting his bag up.

"Yes, yes of course." Lily hesitated at the sight of his small bag but Grin didn't notice.

McGonagall had apparently taken care of all legal matters and there wasn't really anyone to say goodbye so Grin was all done. "Come along then." James and Lily smiled at him

"Grin!" He turned in surprise and Lily and James turned with him. Count waved at him from the gate.

Count with his dark skin and fussy beard, broad shoulders and clever eyes. "Come here!" He called.

Grin stared up at him, a good deal shorter, and blinked in surprise as Count sunk down before him. "I'm sorry I wasn't there yesterday." Count said, "I had some things to take care of. But I'm glad I caught you before you left." He glanced over Grin's shoulder. "So that's your parents, huh?" Count hummed before he untied his hoodie from his waist, a blue one with black sides and the number 13 in large black numbers on the back. Grin made a noise of surprise as it was suddenly shoved down over his head and struggled with Count's, very unhelpful hands, trying to assist.

His head popped out and Count's hand, large and familiar, landed on top of his head and pulled it against Count's chest and held it there in a strange one-armed hug. Grin's entire body seized at the contact but Count just held him like that – not quite a hug but still a _hug.._

The first one Grin could ever remember getting.

"I wish we could have done more for you." Count breathed into his ear. "But you're the most stubborn independent kid I've ever met." Grin couldn't see it but he was smiling. "I don't know these folks of yours but if they ever dare to raise a hand against you – well, you know where to find us." Count's fingers gently touched against the arrow on Grin's chest. "Whatever you do, kid, don't forget us. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Good, kid." Count ruffled his hair and turned to Lily and James who had watched the interactions with surprised eyes. "Grin's my friend." Count said loudly. "You better take good care of him."

Count tapped his neck, where his own arrow stood proudly, and Grin touched his in response.

And then he was gone.

"A friend of yours?" James asked as Grin backtracked to them.

Grin hugged his new hoodie tight, huddling comfortably into its warmth and nodded. He felt strangely like a balloon he didn't know existed had suddenly let out all air and he felt strangely out of sorts with himself. Almost as if he suddenly had two left feet when he could have sworn he had one left and one right that very morning.

James and Lily were still talking with him but Grin barely listened. It wasn't until James reached out for him that Grin instinctively side-stepped and sidled up beside Lily instead. "Apparation sounds like teleportation." He commented, missing James surprised look behind him.

"It is the same, just another fancy term." Lily smiled at him. "It's not a very pleasant sensation thought. Imagine being shoved through a straw." She grimaced. "After all these years I still prefer to travel through floo..."

Grin supposed floo was another form of transportation and made note of it. He was already feeling out of depth interacting with adults and he wasn't looking forward to being new in a world his parents had spent their entire lives in. It made him feel vulnerable and Grin _hated_ feeling vulnerable.

Lily shook her head. "Now, all you have to do is hold onto my arm and hold on tight and I'll take you home, okay?" Again with the _home_ Grin thought with distaste. "It might be a bit scary first but you'll be fine." She held out her arm and smiled encouragingly and Grin slowly reached out and hooked his though hers. She drew him closer and he tried not to show how uncomfortable he felt.

The Potter Mansion was located in the middle of absolutely fucking nowhere.

Grin stared around them, having stepped away from Lily as soon as they arrived. The house was large with at least three floors, elegant windows and doors, a front door with a marble lion seated by it with its maw open. The entire thing was painted red. The grass was green and the lawn wide with a forest clamoring to the right. Before the forest there was a large field, almost like a football field, only with three large hoops on each side far up in the air.

Behind the large mansion Grin could swear he could see the shimmer of a lake.

_Rich._ He realized with not a little bit of distaste. _Yet not rich enough to keep a fifth kid around._

Grin trailed after Lily and James as he studied his new surroundings.

"There are eight bedrooms in total." James told him, glancing back. "You can tell by the sign on the doors which belong to who. Your mother and I share the master bedroom and Chris has the one next to us. Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, who are your godfathers' of sorts each have their own room as well since they practically live here. Raven, Jace, Nora and Chris all call them uncles' as they're practically family," James explained. "They went to Hogwarts with Lily and I."

_Parents, brothers, sisters and now pseudo-uncles, _Grin noted with little a wrinkle of his nose. _Wonderful._

"We thought that you might want to choose your own." Lily smiled hopefully at him. "After that we can decorate it any way you want."

_Bribes won't make me like you, _Grin thought with a distant hum in response. "Is anyone else here?" He asked suddenly, interrupting James who'd been about to say something.

They exchanged looks. "It's just us today." Lily said finally. "The others are spending the day with Remus and Sirius. We thought you might want to get settled before meeting the rest. And we… we would like to get to know you better."

They both looked at him and Grin felt strangely like a ticking bomb on enemy territory. "Right." He said finally, his clever tongue failing him as he gave a jerky little nod. "Right." He repeated.

The house felt strangely larger on the inside and it made Grin, if possible, feel even more out of place.

"Come on, let's go find a room for you!" James said brightly, already half-way up the wide staircase leading to the second floor. "Our room is that way." James pointed left to the room furthest down. "Chris' room is beside ours, then there's Nora, Jace and of course, Raven's." He points to each room in turn.

Grin supposed that he was sort of expected of him to take the free room next to Raven's. But Grin wasn't very good at doing what was expected of him. Instead he turned left and trailed down the left corridor – opening each room and peeking inside.

The last one was, without doubt, the best. It was also the smallest but with a large window. He lingered for a moment in the door opening before stepping inside, looking around. It was still too large for his taste and he wasn't sure how he was going to fill up the empty space. It already had a large bed that looked way too soft, a desk with a lamp and an empty bookshelf as well as a wardrobe.

"You want this room?" James asked, looking sort of disappointed where he was hovering in the doorway.

"Yes." Grin didn't hesitate.

"Well, alright." James dragged a hand through his hair. "Why don't you hang your things up and then come down and we'll grab some lunch?"

"Okay." Grin agreed.

Grin dropped his bag to the floor, listening to James trailing down the stairs and the low murmurs of conversation. No doubt they were talking about him.

Grin opened the wardrobe and hung all three t-shirts and sort of folded the two jeans at the bottom. "How many shirts do rich people need?" He wondered, shuffling his shirts around in a vain attempt to make it look less empty.

The bookshelf wasn't much better. Grin had a decent amount of Wonder Women comics but it didn't even reach half of height of the shelf he dropped them on. He tested sorting them by year and spreading them out but it only made it look even more depressing. He dropped them in a pile mid-shelf in the middle of the thing and plopped down on the bed.

Too soft. Grin grimaced, looking around himself in the bare empty room.

"Home sweet home." He murmured, dropping his head back and digging his fingers into the black arrow on his chest as he pulled the hood over his head and curled into the soft fabric.

It still smelt of Count.


End file.
